Ready for a New Mission - Veterans in Project Management

 

Even in times of peace, militaries don't sit still. Battle-readiness is the result of constant training and well-honed logistics capabilities. Mike Hoal learned that firsthand while serving in the U.S. Army. He spent years managing training projects at U.S. bases in both South Korea and the state of Washington, including as a sergeant first class senior operations/project manager. The U.S. military is a global organization, and Mr. Hoal's projects often crossed borders. One consisted of managing the logistics involved with sending soldiers and equipment from Washington to Singapore and then ensuring a joint training exercise with that country's military met objectives.

That kind of project management experience helped him acquire all 4,500 hours of experience he needed to sit for the Project Management Professional (PMP)^® certification exam while in the Army. “I [qualified for] the PMP^® [exam] solely based on my last three or four years of military experience,” says Mr. Hoal, now a project manager for Tacoma Public Schools in Tacoma, Washington, USA. (He's also CFO of the nonprofit organization Vets2PM.)

His transition into a civilian project management role doesn't surprise Tracey Richardson, EdD, PMI-RMP, PMP. An associate professor in the College of Business at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Dr. Richardson last year …

Please log in or sign up below to read the rest of the article.